City of Johannesburg


Toll gate hearings to start in Johannesburg

Friday, November 11, 2011 No Comments by Zelda

Public hearings on the Gauteng highway toll gates are expected to start on Friday in Johannesburg.

The hearings are to give all affected parties an opportunity to share their views on the proposed tolls with government. In October, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele instructed the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) to suspend all processes related to the tolling of national roads.

The suspension included the planned phase two of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Plan, the Cape Winelands and the Wild Coast.

“It is important to note that there’s a clear distinction or separation between phase 1 [almost completed] and phase 2 [no work has started as yet],” said transport spokesperson Tiyane Rikhotso.

He said phase one was almost complete and the department wanted to hear alternative views from the public on the best possible model of financing the debt incurred.

The suspension was welcomed by various organisations including the SA Municipal Workers Union, the Freedom Front Plus and AfriForum.

In August, Cabinet approved reduced toll tariffs for the N1 highway between Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Motorcyclists were expected to pay 24c a kilometre, light motor vehicles 40c, medium vehicles R1 and “longer” vehicles R2 a kilometre.

Taxis and buses were exempted.

Credit to: News 24 and Sapa

  • Email
Tagged

Tolls put on ice – for now

Monday, October 24, 2011 No Comments by Zelda

The minister of Transport, Sibusiso Ndebele, has put the brakes on all work on the country’s controversial national toll roads’ project, saying there was a need for an extensive and all-inclusive consultative process with members of the public.

The minister ordered the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) to stop all toll road processes – including those in Gauteng – to make sure that all interested parties, be they groups or individuals, have their say on the project.

Work on the toll routes – the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project, the Wild Coast and the Cape Winelands Toll Highway Project has already started and is estimated to run into billions of rands.

Infrastructure is already in place along the Gauteng N1 Freeway.

Transport Department spokesman Tiyani Rikhotso said on Sunday the need to stop all processes on the tolling project temporarily had been brought about by the realisation that there was a lot of interest in the projects and people still had to give their views.

“We want to proceed with a clear conscience, we want all views to be heard, we must play our role as a government that consults and not one that pushes decisions down people’s throats,” said Rikhotso.

He said it was only right that the people from whose pockets the money to service the debt government had already incurred for the project should have a say.

Forty two electronic toll gates have been erected on Gauteng’s N1, N3, N12, N17, R21 and R24. The tolls cover a distance of about 185km.

After an outcry over the initial charges, the cabinet approved reduced toll tariffs for the Gauteng freeway improvement project and agreed that light motor vehicles would pay R0.40/km, medium vehicles R1/km, “longer” vehicles R2/km and bikers R0.24/km. Qualifying commuter taxis and buses would be exempted.

There would be a 31 percent e-tag discount, a time of day discount available, and a frequent user discount for motorbikes and light motor vehicles fitted with an e-tag.

However, amid continuing unhappiness, the Transport Department announced earlier this month that a task team had been formed to look into the issue of toll roads and would include, among others, Ndebele and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.

Sanral corporate communications officer Priya Pillay said: “Sanral will continue to serve the interest of the economy and focus on the creation of quality jobs and the development of our communities.”

She said they were faced with the challenge of ensuring that the arteries of the economy were well maintained and adequately funded. They hoped to find a sustainable solution under the leadership of the minister which would ensure that the appropriate financial instrument would be appropriately applied.

”We welcome the statement from the minister, which clarifies the situation and the leadership he has provided in what is a challenging situation with respect to the funding of the national road network of South Africa,” Pillay said.

In Gauteng e-tag outlets are already visible in a number of shopping malls and members of the public were expected to start registering for e-tag accounts next month. Toll collection was expected to commence in February.

Rikhotso said the temporary stoppage would not affect the other processes like the training of personnel to man the toll gates and other staff issues.

Ndebele, Rikhotso said, felt that the good road infrastructure needed by the country should not place a financial burden on the shoulders of the consumer.

Conceding that the first phase of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Plan had delivered good road infrastructure, he added that it was also an expensive exercise which had drawn sharp views from the public.

“We’re excited by the fact the Gauteng legislature has taken the initiative and has consultations around the toll issue scheduled for later this month,” Rikhotso said.

He said they were hoping to see similar processes, of consultations with individuals and formations, being started across the country.

Accusations around the lack of consultation and participation have been levelled at the government since the inception of the idea, and it has seen accusations ranging from the destruction of natural flora and fauna to the impact on poor communities adjacent to the toll zones.

In Gauteng objectors felt that the urban toll tariffs would harm consumers by increasing food prices and cause unnecessary financial strain on road users.

The Automobile Association called for all toll projects to be scrapped because of higher fuel prices, the effect of the recession on motorists’ cash flow and the high cost of collecting the money.

Although there were no timeframes yet within which the consultations would have to be completed, Rikhotso said they would be set out as soon as all parties started setting up discussions.

Pillay said that Sanral, as an implementing arm of the Department of Transport, would continue to implement the policies of government to the best of its abilities.

Credit to: Pretoria News and Independent Online

  • Email
Tagged

Ndbele: ‘Freeways are not free’

Thursday, August 18, 2011 No Comments by Zelda

If the public wants freeways then it has to pay for them, Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele said on Thursday.

The Ben Schoeman highway between Johannesburg and Pretoria.

“If there is an outcry and people say they won’t pay tolls, then we can’t put the freeway in,” he said at a press conference in Cape Town on Thursday.

“Freeways are not free.”

Ndebele said the “user-pay principle” was accepted throughout the world, but in South Africa people were willingly prepared to pay only in the telecommunications sector.

“In the areas of electricity, water and transport, which improve their lives, such willingness is lacking,” he said.

Cabinet approved revised tariffs for the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project earlier in August.

The rates are 24 cents a kilometre for motorcycles, 40c/km for light motor vehicles and 200c/km for longer vehicles. Qualifying taxis and commuter buses are exempt.

Ndebele said it was time to repay the R20bn loaned to upgrade the Ben Schoeman highway between Johannesburg and Pretoria.

“It has paid for quite a good infrastructure. It is a done deal. That horse has bolted. Now we have to pay for it.”

Ndebele said that after years of underspending, the government was making “steady progress” towards ensuring that rail was the backbone of South Africa’s public transport system.

“As of 1 April 2011, government is spending R30.2bn over the next three years for rail upgrades across the country, with R19.5bn earmarked for capital spending to upgrade existing infrastructure, signalling systems and rolling stock,” Ndebele said.

The Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) was embarking on “a bold programme” to invest in new rail rolling stock worth an estimated R100bn over 18 years.

This would significantly improve the country’s commuter rail transport, Ndebele said.

He said eThekwini was about to complete its full rapid transport plan, which included roads and rail.

Rustenburg too had finalised operational planning and officially launched the Rustenburg Rapid Transport Project on July 21.

Both Tshwane and Polokwane were reviewing their operational plans, he said.

The Gautrain was also proving to be a success. About 3 million passengers had already used the train between Sandton and the airport since its launch in June 2010.

The final stage of the train to Park Station, in Johannesburg, would be ready by the end of November.

Credit to: Fin24

  • Email
Tagged , , ,

ANC mayors face rivals for top party positions

Tuesday, August 16, 2011 No Comments by Zelda

The jostling for position within the African National Congress (ANC) ahead of next month’s regional elective conferences may see the mayors of some Gauteng metros coming under threat from new contenders.

Having a new political boss could make life difficult for mayors of the province’s metros and the functioning of these municipalities could be affected as senior officials seek to secure their political futures.

Regional executive committees need to be elected in Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni after they were disbanded last year following infighting, while in Tshwane the committee has come to the end of its term.

ANC spokesman Nkenke Kekana said yesterday that crucial discussion documents would be tabled at these congresses. Among the proposals is whether debate should be opened on the ANC’s succession. But the focus is likely to be on leadership results, which would determine the political future of the mayors of the metros.

In Tshwane, mayor and ANC chairman Sputla Ramokgopa seems to be facing a revolt. An insider said three party leaders — Jacky Mofokeng, Mafika Mahlangu and Paul Mojapelo — had emerged as potential candidates to oppose him. It is crucial for Ramokgopa to retain his ANC position if he wants a peaceful term as mayor.

Mofokeng is the wife of former Gauteng MEC for housing Dan Mofokeng and she is said to have the support of the women in the region. Mahlangu hails from northern Tshwane and Mojapelo is the former chairman of Motsweding.

In Ekurhuleni, mayor Mondli Gungubele will have a new boss after next month’s election. Gungubele is expected not to contest the election as he already serves on the provincial executive committee. Former regional secretary Bobo Mokoena is tipped to take the post.

In Johannesburg, mayor Parks Tau’s allies appear to be in the driving seat. Although Tau has been approached to stand, it is understood that he is not available as he serves on the provincial executive.

Regional co-ordinator Strike Ralegoma is tipped as the next secretary. Geoff Makhubu, the mayoral committee member responsible for finance, is likely to bid to become chairman but it is understood some branches prefer Kebby Mphatsoe, president of the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans League, or provincial MP Sipho Makama.

Credit to: The Business Day

  • Email

Tolls: AA warns of disgruntled motorists

Friday, August 12, 2011 No Comments by Zelda

The Automobile Association (AA) has raised the possibility of civil disobedience against tolling on the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP).

Reacting to Deputy Transport Minister Jeremy Cronin’s ‘s announcement on Thursday that Cabinet had approved reduced toll tariffs for the GFIP phase A1, AA spokesperson Gary Ronald said it appeared that all intentions of a fund to alleviate tolling had disappeared, leaving the public to foot the bill.

“The questions was – now what?” he asked in a statement.

While industry as a whole now waited for the SA National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) to announce the date tolling would begin, the AA did not see the implementation of tolls, even slightly discounted, as a “victory for the people on the ground” – as coined by government spokesperson Jimmy Manyi.

Rather, it seemed that with the exclusion of public transport from tolling, “the usual suspects” were left to foot the bill – which was more like another blow to the head of the motorist than a victory for the people.

“Commodities are going to cost more as a direct result of the tolls and effectively, the poor will be worst off.”

The issue of civil disobedience would be the next hurdle for the government to overcome.

Next course of action

“If the public rally together and stand firm in the face of tolling by not registering for e-tags and flagrantly disregarding tolling costs and consequent fines, will the authorities have the wherewithal to manage a disgruntled five million motorists?

“Affected industry groups have been expecting the toll announcement and, now that the tariff has been set, will be considering their next course of action in the days ahead,” he said.

Earlier, Cronin told a media briefing following Wednesday’s fortnightly Cabinet meeting that motorcyclists would pay 24c/km, light motor vehicles 40c/km, medium vehicles R1/km, and “longer” vehicles R2/km.

Qualifying commuter taxis and buses would be exempted entirely.

In addition to the 31 percent e-tag discount, other discounts applicable would be a time of day discount available to all vehicles, and a frequent user discount for motorcycles and light motor vehicles fitted with an e-tag.

Cabinet had agreed that Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele should give effect to the approval in terms of the Sanral and National Roads Act, Cronin said.

Shocked

The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) said it was shocked and angered by the announcement.

“Government had earlier promised that they would consult with the public before charging tolls,” said spokesperson Patrick Craven in a statement.

“Yet at the only meeting to which Cosatu Gauteng was invited, they were simply told that the tolls were going ahead. That is not consultation!”

He contended that the widespread opposition to the toll proposal had been ignored, and that this would impose a huge burden on road users.

Craven warned that if there was no change to this policy, demonstrations, pickets, and stay-aways would be planned.

“The federation will continue to demand as its alternative to tolled roads, an integrated, safe, reliable and affordable public transport system.”

Excessive

In a statement, the Democratic Alliance’s Neil Campbell said the toll fees as announced were still too high and would add unacceptably to the costs of doing business in the province.

“While we welcome the exemption for commuter taxis and buses, the private motorist will be hit exceptionally hard.

“We are still in the dark about the real costs of operating the e-tolling system, which is possibly as high as R14bn over eight years.”

This seemed to be excessive and would be difficult to implement in a situation where many people were hard to trace and many license plates were fraudulent.

The DA was concerned the toll fees would rise further over the years.

“We are paying the price for extremely poor planning by the Gauteng provincial government,” Campbell said.

The SA National Taxi Council (Santaco) welcomed the exemption for taxis.

“The exemption relieves the taxi industry from the high operational costs that operators are presently struggling to survive in their day to day business operations,” it said in a statement.

Soften the blow

In another statement, Business Unity SA (Busa) said the e-tolling system would still introduce significant administrative and cost complexity for business that would be felt right across the spectrum – by the tourism industry, manufacturers, and small business.

“The seven-day payment terms requirement still remains a concern, as it will cause cash flow disruptions.

“While we believe that the reduction in tolls and the exemptions granted to taxis and commuter buses will to some extent soften the pain to commuters, it does undermine the ‘user-pay’ principle and complicates the criteria applied in deciding which vehicles would be subject to tariffs and which not.”

Busa said the cost impact on fast-moving consumer goods, particularly basic foodstuffs, would still be felt most significantly by working and unemployed poor.

Credit to: News 24 and Sapa

  • Email
Tagged ,

Solar-powered traffic lights for Joburg

Thursday, July 21, 2011 No Comments by Zelda

Traffic lights across Johannesburg will be fitted with uninterrupted power supply units to improve mobility for commuters, the Johannesburg Roads Agency said on Thursday.

“The city will be spending more than R11m to modernise traffic lights by installing solar-powered signals and remote monitoring systems at critical intersections,” said spokesperson Thulani Makhubela.

The agency said it would install uninterrupted power supply units at main intersections so that when there were power cuts in the area, the traffic lights would continue working as normal.

It said 30% of the city’s traffic lights had been fitted with light-emitting diodes which were much brighter than normal globes thus improving visibility.

Theft and vandalism were still a concern for the city with some of the recently upgraded traffic lights being vandalised.

“These crimes are costing the city and ratepayers an additional R14.5m that could have been spent on other measures to improve traffic flows in Johannesburg. The Road Agency is working closely with the Johannesburg metro police department to apprehend the culprits,” he said.

Seven technical teams had been located across the city to ensure traffic lights were attended to as soon as they became faulty.

The Road Agency is responsible for 10 000km of road and over 2 000 intersections across the city.

Credit to: News 24 and Sapa

  • Email

27.7% electricity hike for Joburg

Thursday, June 30, 2011 1 Comment by Zelda

Johannesburg residents feel they are bearing the brunt of the metro’s inability to collect rates – by being charged exorbitantly for municipal services.

From tomorrow, residents will pay 27.7% more for electricity and 14% more for water. Rates and refuse collection costs will go up by 6.7%.

Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau announced the charges when he tabled a R33bn budget yesterday.

Lee Cahill, a founder of the Joburg Advocacy Group, which works with ratepayers associations in Johannesburg, said she was concerned at the “huge hike in electricity”.

“According to the Northern Federation of Ratepayers, the Provincial Gazette of March 2, 2011 records a revenue collection rate of 56.5% for the City of Johannesburg.

“This huge drop in collection rates has happened since the implementation of Project Phakama, which means the city’s billing crisis is directly affecting its ability to collect revenue.”

The increase is far above the inflation rate of 4.6%.

“Failures in one part of the local government system inevitably have a knock-on impact throughout the system – something that is seldom acknowledged,” Cahill said.

“Not only will this increase have a huge impact on consumers, it will have a direct impact on the country’s inflation targeting, creating a vicious cycle of increases.”

A resident of Northcliff who asked not to be named, said that since she and her husband bought their house at the beginning of last year the municipality had sent them three accounts for their single property.

She said that, for a year, the city had not been able to close two of the accounts but instead, had sent her bills “out of the blue”.

She said city officials have forced her to pay more than R20000 on the three accounts since May last year.

Reacting to news that she will be charged more on her bills, she said: “I don’t understand what it is I am paying for. I don’t see the benefit of paying for my services.”

Cheryl Labuschagne, chairman of the Parkhurst Village Residents’ Association, said “Any increase above the inflation level is a burden.

“I had a look at my own municipal bill for June. Electricity costs constitute almost half of the total bill; water and sanitation about 12.5%.”

She said that, with road tolls, medical-aid scheme contributions and petrol price hikes, her personal-services bill will go up by 30%.

Credit to: Times Live

  • Email
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Power cut-offs loom for Joburg residents

Tuesday, June 14, 2011 No Comments by Zelda

Johannesburg residents face a new threat of electricity cut-offs, for nonpayment of outstanding bills.

This means a moratorium on cut-offs imposed by the city council in March — to allow ratepayers to sort out inaccurate bills issued in the recent billing crisis — has been lifted.

Revenue spokesman Stan Maphologela said yesterday the city was “stepping up its credit control in order to collect outstanding debt”.

“The campaign began on May 1, with the sending of pre-termination notices to all defaulters, mainly companies, corporates, and state departments,” Maphologela said. “The second phase will be undertaken with domestic customers.

“The pre-termination notices were sent since last week. We will continue to cover all defaulters, and the intensity of the campaign will be felt towards the end of next week and month-end,” he said.

“Customers who have applied and qualified for discounts as well as customers who have logged queries, received reference numbers and ensured that the account is flagged, will be excluded from the credit control campaign.”

He said that to date 65000 billing queries had been received, 52000 of which were resolved.

Lee Cahill of the civil rights organisation, Johannesburg Advocacy Group, said the city’s claims of its account resolution rate could not be accurate. “On January 26 the former mayor, Amos Masondo, said there were 80000 inaccurate bills.

“The city later claimed there were ‘only’ 65000 incorrect bills. If we accept all of these figures are accurate, this equates to a resolution rate of about 1000 complaints every working day from January 26 to April 14. By way of comparison, the new National Consumer Commission announced last week it had managed to resolve 60 complaints since it opened on April 1. This is an average of 1.3 disputes a day. ”

Credit to: Business Day

  • Email
Tagged , , , , ,

Pothole problem improves- survey

Wednesday, June 1, 2011 1 Comment by Zelda

A survey among 2 000 adults in the Gauteng metropolitan areas showed that a third of people believe the road pothole problem is being reduced, said TNS Research Surveys on Wednesday.

The biggest improvement was noted by Soweto residents – where 40% believed the pothole situation was getting better – and the West Rand, with 43% agreeing, said TNS director Neil Higgs.

In the Vaal Triangle only 12% of people surveyed believed the situation had improved.

In Johannesburg, excluding Soweto, 29% saw an improvement.

The study was conducted in all seven major metropolitan areas in February.

Credit to: News 24

  • Email
Tagged ,

New Joburg mayor insists on accountability

Wednesday, May 25, 2011 No Comments by Zelda

Newly appointed City of Johannesburg mayor Parks Tau, who is still to be officially elected in the council sittings this week, says the management and staff of the city of Johannesburg must be held accountable for the job they do.

Tau was addressing the media on Tuesday during the announcement by the ANC Gauteng of the 11 mayors who are going to lead various municipalities that were won by the party.

“We need to improve the performance of the management and staff as the organisation,” he said.

“By that I mean, we need to make sure that we improve accountability of the management, of staff and to ensure that everybody is held accountable for the work they are employed to do,” Tau told media.

“The people of Johannesburg, clearly during the election campaign articulated to us quite clearly that they need value for their money. All employees of the city must work hard to make sure that we improve service delivery.”

Tau says going forward the city of Johannesburg approach was about consolidating the programme of transformation.

He also said that the city needs to look at the sustainable practices in relation to water, electricity and waste management.

“The city needs to improve repairs and maintenance of the infrastructure,” he said.

Other mayors who were appointed are Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality – Cde Mondli Gungubele; City of Tshwane – Cde Kgosientsho Ramokgopa; West Rand District Municipality – Cde Mpho Nawa; Sedibeng District Municipality – Cde Simon Mofokeng; Emfuleni Local Municipality – Cde Greta Hlongwane; Mogale City Local Municipality – Cde Calvin Seerane; Merafong City Local Municipality – Cde Maphefo Letsie; Randfontein Local Municipality – Cde Sylvia Thebenare; Lesedi Local Municipality – Cde Lerato Maloka and Westonaria Local Municipality – Cde Nonkoliso Tundzi.

All the 11 ANC’s Mayoral Candidates are going to be elected in Council sittings this week of their various municipalities.

Credit to: Business Day

  • Email
Tagged , ,